There is something to be said about being alone. It sucks. It is also magically freeing. It can be lonely, yet reflective, bringing about both joy and pain. But above all else, it is uniquely beautiful. Time alone can do so much for your soul, if you allow it to be it can be very healing as well; each of us should take the opportunity, should it arrive, and should it not, we should do ourselves the favour and create it.

By time I mean more than those fleeting moments when you are on the edge of slumber or in the shower, though those moments do count, I mean alone: every moment, minute, hour of the day and night alone. Go deep into the woods alone. (I have done it – a week alone in a cottage in a remote place!) You will soon find out that you are not as alone as you may have thought you were; nature could be a man’s greatest companion and champion, but we have to stop fighting with it first. This is not to say we should cut off contact with each other, stop sharing and embark on some kind of exclusive journey out in the wilderness alone. Human beings need contact with each other as much as any other creature does, and those relationships are so massively important.

What we all need is a more real sense of ourselves; we need to acknowledge our individual foundations all part of a bigger thing. You will need to embark on the journey of life; know who you are and where you stand with yourself, because it is your opinion (and no one else’s) that truly matters. It is you who will take with you the memories of your life, the things you did, the people you loved, your accomplishments and failures, when you pass. Being alone can help you to achieve a clearer perspective of yourself, a more honest and pure perspective, untainted by the external influences of the world.

Some people do not like or want to be alone. Some do not feel they have the mental or emotional faculty to deal with being alone. Some people are physically unable to properly be alone. In no way does that mean those people are robbed of some great experience. NO. Perhaps, they do not need to be alone because they do not require that kind of solitary reflection. Perhaps, they already possess a strong foundation. What is ultimately important is that you focus on yourself in this case. Do not concern yourself with what other people are doing or where they are in the process or if they have even begun as it will only rob you of time you could have spent with yourself. Too many people occupy their thoughts with those of others, too many have lost sight of themselves and the bigger picture, long forgotten their part in it. Too many of us seek validation through the words and actions of others and deny ourselves the chance to simply exist as we are.

Maybe I am wrong to say we should all take the time to be alone. But I really don’t think so. It is a supernatural way to gain perspective and to reflect. Life has a strange way of always giving us what we need. Though that may not always be what we want. And, there is certainly a difference between the two. In life, we are all presented with choices to make, situations to deal with and often under circumstances beyond our control. People need to use what they have to encourage their own growth, to build on that foundation and learn a few new things.